...that a very little is better than nothing at all. I am interested in this, after all, and I have some other background motivation. So have been trying to get in a bit of reading here and there, taking note of whatever vocabulary I am exposed to in whatever language in a rough notebook, takint notes from translations, and just chipping away a word at a time. There’s no reason why I can’t make gradual progress with this goal.

Also, B and I are talking French a bit more, not every day but a few times a week – speaking with another non-native definitely takes the pressure off! And I am getting him to text me a few Mandinka phrases every day which is working better than trying to find time to sit down together so he can teach me.